Apparatus for circulation of liquids



Oct. 1, 1930.v I R F. McKAY ETAL 1,777,648

APPARATUS FOR CIRCULATION OF LIQUIDS File e 1.928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R F. McKAY ET AL .7 1,777,648

APPARATUS FOR CIRCULATION OF LIQUIDS Oct. 7, 1930.

Fil 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E a iterated Oct. 7, 1930 ROBERT FERRIER llIcKAY, HARRYWILLSHA time PATENT *"1231 w, WALTER GEORGE GORHAM, AND RoeEn FREDERICK LEE, F BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN ANODE,

INCORPORATED, on NEW YORK, 1v. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AP ARArUs EoRcIRoULA'rIon OF mourns Application filed February 27, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to apparatus forcirculating the liquid dispersions or emulsions inorder to prevent the separation therefrom of their constituents and-is particularly applicable to those liquid dispersions comprising constituents which owing to their different specific 'gra-vities tend to separate from said liquids as by sedimentation or flotation or those which are liable to undergo flocculation or coagulation on being subjected to, for instance, immoderate agitation or impact shock.

Liquid dispersions or emulsions contemplated as coming under consideration inthisinvention comprise the latices of rubber or other vegetable resins, artificial dispersions such as ofrubber or of other vegetable resins or of coagulated rubber or of waste rubber or rubber reclaim, or vulcanized dispersions of rubber or other vegetable resins orartificial dispersions of synthetic resins or cellulose compounds or again'mixtures of any of the aforesaid dispersions, any of which may or may not contain any one or more of the usual and known compounding ingredients.

Although the principal objects of the invention are to circulate the dispersions so as to maintain the dispersions in a uniform condition and to avoid and/or to remove the effects of flocculation or coagulation as far as possible, other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

According to this invention the apparatus for circulating liquid dispersions of the aforesaid kinds and of the aforesaid natures comprises a container vessel (hereinafter called a vat), one or more auxiliary vessels (hereinafter called sumps) wheremay always be below that in the vat, means. for forcing or pumping the dispersions from the sump or sumps to the vatwithout affecting or materially affecting their physical properties, means for maintaining the dispersions in a uniform condition and for ensuring an even surface flow, and means whereby the liquids may gravitate gently from the vat to the sump or sumps. In addition the apparatus may comprise means for sieving the dispersions 257,500, and in Great Britain March 2, 1927.

to remove any coagulum or agglomerated or dispersions.

The liquid dispersions in the vat may be used for producing, by dipping, deposits on formers which may be porous hollow shapes, for example, impregnated with coagulant and to which -suction may be applied or again in the deposition on moulds by electrophoretic deposition or a combination of both methods or the vat may be utilized for any operations such as spreading, coating and the like-where it is a desideratum that the. deposits should be uniform.

A preferred embodiment of apparatus for circulating rubber latex containing compounding ingredients is shown in the accompanying drawings in Which:

Figure 1 is-a side elevation partly in section, while figure 2 is an end elevation partly in section.

In the drawings Ive-illustrate a (ual arrangement but as the two halves thereof are essentially independent and substantially identical the description concerns itself only with one half of the apparatus.

The vat comprises a comparatively long flocculated matter which may form in the" rectangular dipping tank 1 provided with wooden Walls 2. covered ing 3.

arranged as illustrated one at each end of the said vat.

sumps are-formed by dividing the vatby wooden partitions 5 sheathed with lead sim- Alternatively, however ilarly to the vat. they may be separate vessels.

The means whereby the latex gravitates the vat to the sumps may conveniently with lead sheath-.

As shown in the drawings said I 80 The replenishing sumps 4 are preferably ishing. to the vat, the means described in our' copending application of even date may be employed, but any other means adapted to avoid coagulation may be utilized.

Thus the means may comprise,

'. a diaphragm 7 preferably of rubber horizonnected with the vat 1 and with the sumps 4:;

closed, the sump valve 9 is opened and latex phragm and t flows into the aforesaid chamber or cavity In the delivery strokeithe sump valve is closed the vat valve is opened and the latex in the said'cavity is forced upwards through I the vat valve into the vat.

to remove surface coagulum occasioned for instance by exposure of the surface of the latex to atmosphere Means may be provided or again by contacting the said-surface with which are ut1l-' the coagulant-coated formers ized in some-deposition processes.

It will be apparent that for that purpose an even surface-flow is essential and to achieve that end we preferably provide that. the main delivery nozzle-11v is disposed centrally of the vat floor, its orifice 12 pointing upwards. As illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the saiddelivery nozzle has a fan :shaped formation 13 disposed transversely of the vat. Thus the'replenishing latex from the sumps is caused to flowv towards the surface of the latex across'the centre of the vat midway between Thereby we ensure that th whole surface of the latex is in movement-flowing outwardly towards one or other of the weirs and carrying with it any surface coagulum which has formed.

To-strain the latex, particularly to remove the surface coagulum we preferably provide, between each overflow weirand replenishing sump, a seive 14.- of any convenient constructiomfireferably however, of fabric gauze or the l e shaped to a tapering formation as shown in Figure 2. In transit from the vat to the sumps the latex passes through the said sieve which retains any foreign matter such as the coagulum referred to.

' The sha e or arrangement of the weirs, ducts or ot er overflow system is such as'to avoid as far aspossible any splashing of the latex as it flows from the vat into the sieve or sump, otherwise coagulation or thickening of the latex might ensue. A convenient arrangement, as shown in the drawings consists in the provision'of a sloping surface 15 between the top of the sieve; The latex flows down said sloping surface and is transferred therefrom me the curved lip 16 thereof directly onto the side of the said sieve the lower part for instance the two, ends thereof.

the edge of the weir and whereof is submerged in the latex accumulated in the sump.

To obviate se imentation, we provide a perforated distribution pipe 17, or pipes,

extending along the floor of the vat, and into or across which the delivery of the pump discharges. VVhen the apparatus is in use the jets of latex forced through the said perforations prevent the accumulation of 'sediment upon the floor-of the vat and further agitate and disperse any such sediment resulting from protracted periods of disuse of the apparatus. As shown in the drawings the delivery pipe 18' of the pump preferably connects with the underside of the distribution pipOe 17 while the fan shaped nozzle 11 prefera ly projects from the uppenside of the distribution pipe 17 immediately above the inletthereinto of the delivery pipe.

It will be apparent that the apparatus offers the advantage that a constant level may be maintained in the vat irrespective of vaconsumption merely altering the level in the sump. I v v I It will be understood that the apparatus of the invention is not restricted to the precise details of construction or arrangement described. Thus the vat container may have desired form-it might for instance be circular. Then its rim might form an annular weir toward which the latex would flow from the centre ofthe vatin this arrangement the; delivery nozzle of the forcing means bein section.

What we claim'is:

.1. Apparatus for circulating through a container and. maintaining therein in a uniform condition liquid dispersions of the aforesaid kinds containing constituents which on account of their different specific gravities of their nature tend to separate from said liquids as by sedimentation, flotation flocculation, coagulation or the like, comprising a hi h levelcontaine'r, a. low level v sump, means or forcing the dispersions from the sump, to the container without affecting or materially affecting the characteristics of the dispersons and means whereby the liquid may gently gravitate from the .container to the sump substantially as described.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 provided with means for maintaining the. dispersions at a constant level substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outflow from and the inflow into the said container areso related as to occasion an even surface flow of the said liquid substantially as described.

g conveniently circular in cross vno the line of flow of the surface liquid substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a perforated distribution mechanism is provided adjacent the floor of the container and into or across which distribution mechanism the delivery of the forcing means discharges substantially as described. v

. liquid are arranged, between ;the container and the sump substantially as and for the pur- 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein strainingmeans are disposed between the container and the sump substantially as and for I the purposes described.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein overflow weirs or the like adapted to prevent or substantially to prevent splashing of the pose described. I I

9-. Apparatus for circulating through a container and maintaining therein in av uniform condition liquid dispersions containing dispersed rubber such as rubber latices which tend to separate from the liquid as by sedimentation, flotation, flocculation, coagulation mentation, flotation, flocculatiomcoagulation or the like comprising a high level container having downwardly converging bottom walls, a low level sump, and means for forcing the li uid dispersion from the sump into the contamer without materially affecting the characteristics ofthe dispersion, said means includingmeansfor uniformly distributing the dispersion intothe container at the convergence of the bottom walls.

12. 'Apparatus for circulating through a container and maintaining therein in a uniform condition liquid dispersions containing dispersed rubber such as rubber latices which tend to separate from the liquid as by sedimentation, flotation, flocculation, coagulation -or the like comprising a'high level container having downwardly converging bottom .walls,

a low level sump, and means for forcing the liquid dispersion from the sump into the containervwithout materially affecting the characteristics of the dispersion, said means including means for distributing the dispersion into the containe'r at the convergence of, and generally parallel to, the bottom walls.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

ROBT. F. McKAY. HARRY WHJLSHAW. WALTER GEORGE GORHAM. ROGER FREDERICK LEE.

or the like comprising a high level container having V-shaped bottom walls, a low level sump, and means for forcing theliquid dis- 1 persion from the sump into the container without materially afiecting the characteristics of the dis ersion,'said meansincluding means fordistrlbuting the dispersion into the container along the line of convergence oi the V-shaped walls. i c

10. Apparatus for circulating through a 'congziner and maintaining therein in' a unifor I dispersed rubber such as rubber latices which condition liquid dispersions containing tend to separate from the liquid as by sedimentation, flotation, flocculation, coagulation or the like comprising a high level container having V-shaped bottom walls, a low level sump, means for forcin the liquid dispersion from the sump into t e'container without materially afl'ecting the characteristics of the 5 dispersion, said means inclu means .for distributing the dispersion into t e container along the line of convergence ofthe V-shaped walls, and means for directing the gentle gravity flow ofthe surface portion of'the liquid of the container into the 11. Apparatus for circulating -rough a container and maintaining therein in a uniform condition liquid dispersions containing dispersed rubber such as rubber latices whic tend to separate from the liquid as by sedi- III III 

